Netflix Released A Must-Watch, Oscar-Nominated Animated Movie For Free On YouTube

The plot of "Nimona" is fantastic as is, but the story of how it even came to Netflix really makes it remarkable. After Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, it shut down Blue Sky Studios, which was working on "Nimona" at the time. It seemed like the film would forever remain unfinished, but a hero would arrive in the form of Megan Ellison, founder of Annapurna Pictures.

Troy Quane shared an article from Screen Daily, sponsored by Netflix, about the importance of this movie and why it's essential to make it as readily accessible as possible. The piece contains a quote from Ellison, who's a lesbian and gender non-conformist, about what "Nimona" means to her. "I have never felt so seen or represented in a movie ... If I'd seen this film as a kid I would have hated myself less, I would have felt more seen. That's why I wanted to support this film — pain relief and joy," Ellison said. As a result, Annapurna was able to acquire "Nimona" from Disney, where it was eventually completed and released in June 2023. The film, where at one point it seemed like it would never see the light of day, came out and is now an Oscar nominee. 

Ellison concluded, "If stories can teach kids not to hate themselves, then by all means, let's tell them. You can't make someone gay. That's not a thing. The only potential 'cure' to queerness is to love us. Stop excluding us." Regardless of whether "Nimona" wins an Academy Award or not, hopefully, as many people as possible see it and take in its message of inclusivity and learning not to hate what's different.